Newborn and Baby Care Blog - NEWBORN CARE TRAINING CERTIFICATE

Anchoring Furniture: A Babyproofing Essential

9/20/2019

A tip-over injury or fatality means that a child has been injured or killed by pulling over dressers, televisions, bookshelves or other furniture. About 70 percent of tip-over fatalities involve children ages 1 1/2 to 3 years old, but these accidents are preventable.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) Anchor It! Campaign shows parents and caregivers that anchoring is simple, inexpensive and important.

Here are their tips:

- Anchor all furniture to the wall. These videos show how to properly anchor to drywall and to brick walls.

- Secure TVs to the wall or base/TV stand and recycle older, unused TVs

- Check for and act on recalls of products that present tip-over hazards

- Anchor furniture before baby is born, or begins "grabbing" or crawling. Babies begin to crawl as early as 6 months and reaching for things well before then.

Refer to the Anchor It poster here for correct installation of anchors, and for more babyproofing info please visit How to Create a Safe Nursery.

Postpartum Mood Disorders Affect Partners Too

8/9/2019

Did you know postpartum mental health issues are the most common complication of pregnancy? Postpartum Depression (PPD) and Anxiety in mothers is finally getting talked about, but postpartum depression in men, called Paternal PostNatal Depression, or PPND, is just as common.

What is PPND? Depression in mothers happens because of the biological and hormonal changes experienced after childbirth. According to studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and National Institute of Health however, depression can affect up to 25% of new fathers -especially if their partner is experiencing depression. The condition is called PPND, or Paternal PostNatal Depression, and with the amount of depression reported in men as a whole typically about 5%, PPND is very real. Hormonal and emotional changes happen in men too.

Who is at risk? PPND can happen to any father but there are also risk factors to know about before baby arrives:
   - history of depression
   - partner who has depression
   - an unplanned/unwanted pregnancy
- poor family relationships and little social support
   - financial or personal stress

How can PPND be helped? Early detection and action is KEY - talking about it. There is still a perceived social stigma to depression so normalizing PPND is helpful. This assessment can be used to identify PPND warning signs.

Regular exercise, proper sleep and family and social support also helps, but a professional assessment by a mental health pro is the most important tool to get Dads on the road to recovery. For new mothers and fathers, knowledge is power in managing postpartum mental health complications before they arise.

A Dream Nursery fit for your own Royal Baby

6/6/2019

A dream nursery fit for your own royal baby!

With the arrival of another royal baby, we're taking a break from our usual educational blogs to share our favorite fun, safe and slightly over the top nursery items on Amazon!

Circular Crib - Nothing says Baby Prince or Princess quite like a circular crib or bassinet. Dreamy bedding and draping fabrics make baby's sleep area unique and timeless. Remember not to use the crib bumpers that may come with crib bedding as it is a SIDS risk; opt for a breathable mesh bumper instead.

<---This Macrame and wooden chair and swing
This adorable swing can be mounted indoors or outside and is as sturdy as it is cute. It's recommended for babies age 6 - 30 months and can become a family heirloom, handed down to siblings and cousins for years.

Diaper Pail - in Gold! - If you're going to have a diaper pail in baby's room, why not get the one that has won the most awards and is FANCY?!

A Rocking...Unicorn - Any baby can have a rocking horse for baby's first ride on toy, but a Rocking Unicorn? That's a stand-out gift item! We like this toy because it has plush back support for the littlest riders. It also comes in a variety of colors.

Our full list of unique, safe nursery decor is in our Amazon shop www.amazon.com/shop/letmommysleep?listId=2LUTHG65XVOAF but we'd love to hear about your favorite baby items below!

50 Cool Screen Free Activities for Kids

4/28/2019

50 Cool Scree Free Activities for Kids by Let Mommy Sleep

Cardboard boxes + crayons

Cardboard boxes + golf tees& a toy hammer!
If you don’t have boxes, get a fort!
Stare at the night sky and look for planes, satellites and maybe even the International Space Station.
Floor is Lava!
Plant seeds: tomato, cucumber and basil grow quickly and then make a great salad
Gaze at the fish in your local pet store
Read your favorite books of course!
Magnatiles– the toy you’ll have for YEARS
Go to a comic shop & pick out a book
Paint with edible finger paint…babies can even paint with yogurt
Go to Target and play with the toys in the toy aisle!
Get this tent for indoors or outdoors
Enjoy a treat at your local café or Starbucks
Get a baby pool, let the kids fill it
Go for a walk & clean up litter in your neighborhood
Play charades!
Re-grow your celery stumps in water
Go on a nature walk
Go to your local airport and plane-watch up close
Have a blanket picnic
Enjoy make-your-own-pizza night
Write letters to relatives you don’t get to see often
Make your own musical instruments
Keva blocks (or any blocks)
Collect the scrap wood from Home Depot -it’s free!- and see what you can build.
Visit a pet shelter
Blow up balloons and hit them
Play with giant cardboard bricks
Attend an outdoor concert or show
Make a keepsake at a paint-your-own pottery shop
Catch bugs and make a bug habitat
Take a bubble bath- just for fun!
Walk through a local garden
Turn off the lights and play with flashlights
Try a new fruit or vegetable you’ve never had from the grocery store
Surprise the kids with a Bounce House
Do “science experiments” using food coloring or simple Alka-Selzter tablets
Make a photo album, look through old photo albums
Go on a scavenger hunt outside
Frost some cupcakes or roast marshmallows
Check out all the outdoor decorations and flowers at your garden center
Tidy upthe outdoors.
Examine objects with a magnifying glass
Decorate an old t-shirt using magic markers.
“Prank call” the grandparents (stole this from ZenHabits.net and have also done this…it’s hilarious!)
Go to your local sprayground/playground
Ride pillows down the stairs!
Make a lemonade stand
Visit the library & get a library card

March 30th, 2019

3/30/2019

Let Mommy Sleep's practical baby care tips on Pinterest.

What Should be in your Overnight Newborn Care Bag?

3/17/2019

Night nurses, doulas and newborn care providers are a little different than daytime nannies since we concentrate on caring for families in the postpartum phase.

Our team made a list of items that you may find helpful to have in your overnight care bag. The full list of recommended items is on Amazon and includes:

travel first aide-kit for baby- and you!

You never know if you'll need a nasal aspirator for baby or even a bandaid for yourself. Always be prepared!

extra-long chargers

Your phone should always, always, always be charged and within arms reach in case of emergencies or needing to respond quickly to parents. Caring for newborns also may mean having some downtime while they sleep. For these reasons an extra long phone/device charger is a Let Mommy Sleep must-have!

light snacks to help keep your energy up

Caring for babies is hard work! Keep your energy up without having to do a lot of food prep with gluten-free energy bars, fruit and dried fruit.

To see the full list, please visit our verified shop on Amazon, and if there's anything you would like to see included let us know below!

Guest Post: Jeanne Faulkner, RN and Author of "Common Sense Pregnancy"

3/2/2019

Adapted guest post by Jeanne Faulkner, Registered Nurse and author of the book "Common Sense Pregnancy"

I just launched my new book, Common Sense Pregnancy (Random House/Ten Speed Press, June 2015) about pregnancy and parenthood. Common Sense Pregnancy is part medical guide (I’m a registered nurse with decades of maternal health experience), part advice column (I write Fit Pregnancy’s Ask The Labor Nurse blog and I’m Senior Writer for EveryMotherCounts.org), and part memoir (I’m the mother of four and lived to write about it).

Most of my book is about pregnancy, prenatal care, labor and birth, but I also discuss sleep deprivation. I write about it in Chapter 15 and I’ll share an excerpt here:

***
You’re in for a bit of a shock. Babies rule the night. They’re totally clueless about circadian rhythms and not the least bit concerned about waking you up at all hours to make you do things for them. This goes on for months and months – sometimes even years. Everyone will tell you: Sleep when the baby sleeps. That’s excellent advice the first week or so but not so great after that, because few of us have the privilege of putting everything in life on hold while we take a nap.

We each react differently to interrupted and reduced sleep. Some can suck it up and function fairly well: others fall apart completely. They can’t think, can’t deal and can’t function at all. These parents have to create coping strategies to keep from losing their minds.

First, consider this: while it may seem like you’re never getting to sleep, the reality is you’re almost certainly getting some. Even if your baby is an every-two-hour feeder, that gorgeous hour and a half between feedings might drop you into the deepest sleep of your life. The body is amazing in its ability to grab what it needs, and once you get into a nighttime groove, you’ll find the experience of having bizarre wake-sleep cycles less jolting.

If the fatigue is too extreme, then you and your partner need to make some changes – like alternating nights where one of you gets to sleep all night in a room away from the baby while the other handles night duties. If you’re breastfeeding, this could involve your partner giving the baby a bottle of pumped milk or having dad bring baby in for a quick nighttime feeding, then scooping her back up and away while you go back to sleep.

For some women, sleep deprivation leads to serious changes in mental health – aka postpartum depression and even psychosis. This is serious business and must be addressed by professionals – your doctor or midwife plus a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional with experience dealing with postpartum mothers.
***
Support Resources for New Parents:

Mental Health resources: Postpartum Support International or their primary care physician, New parent groups such

New Parent Support Groups: MomsClub.org, Parents of Multiples

In-Home Postpartum Care: LetMommySleep.com

Car Seat Safety Tips

12/23/2018

Image: IG =@mccutcheonphoto Thank you for this image via unsplash.

According to SafeKids.org 3 out of 4 carseats are used incorrectly. Following the manufacturers' specific directions for usage is vital, but understanding correct carseat usage in general can help keep your child safe.

For children age 0-2 years old this means:

Keeping baby in a rear facing seat at least until their second birthday. 2018 recommendations from the CDC now state that children stay rear facing from age 0 to between ages 2 and 4.

Follow the carseat manufacturers installation instructions. It's been reported in many accidents that carseats have been installed too loosely or at an incorrect angle. To be completely positive that your seat is installed correctly, visit SafeKids Worldwide to find a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician or inspection station in your area.

Do not place baby in the carseat in their coat or bulky clothing. The creates space between the body and the strap, which is unsafe.

Use a blanket or car seat cover ONLY if it goes over baby, the straps and the seat and does not cover baby's face. As the AAP says, "Nothing should ever go underneath your child's body or between her body and the harness straps." and "Be sure to leave baby's face uncovered to avoid trapped air and re-breathing."

Do not place toys, mirrors or other items in or around the carseat and be sure your own items such as coffee cups are secured. These can become projectiles in the car.

If an item did not come with the car seat, it has not been crash tested and may interfere with the protection provided in a crash. Commercially sold car seat covers or accessories have not been crash tested. Remember, as Let Mommy Sleep Nurses say, just because they sell it doesn't mean it's safe.

Tighten the straps around baby snugly. There should be nothing between your baby and the seat except a thin layer of clothing.

Automobile accidents continue to be a danger to all of us but by following the car seat manufacturers' installation directions and by remembering these tips, you can keep baby safe as best you can.

Free Infant Sleep Consultations

10/23/2018

One of the most asked questions we get at Let Mommy Sleep is how to help babies of all ages sleep through the night. While we don't take a position on whether "sleep training" is right or wrong, we do know that there are 2 easy ways to help facilitate long stretches of sleep.

1. Gradually wean overnight feeds while increasing daytime feeds:

Gradually decrease overnight feeds by 1/4 or 1/2 an ounce for each feed overnight.
While you are doing this, gradually increase daytime feeding to replace those ounces from the overnight hours.

This gradual repositioning of taking in calories encourages baby to take in all s/he needs during the daytime and evening rather than overnight.

2. Give baby a "dreamfeed" around 10:00pm

A dreamfeed simply means giving baby one last feed of the night before s/he wakes up from hunger. You'll give breast or bottle to baby and baby will instinctively take in whatever she needs to be satiated until the next feeding time.
You can also do a quick diaper change and burp at this time, being sure to be very gentle so baby doesn't fully wake up.
The purpose of the dreamfeed is to give baby those ounces of milk or formula at a predictable time to help baby sleep while *you're* also sleeping, rather than doing a final feed at 7:00pm and then wondering if the next wake up will be at 10, 11, 12 or 1am!

There is much more to talk about regarding sleep training and appropriate care varies widely by age.

If you're a caregiver or a parent and would like to talk through how to help you baby sleep independently, let us know!

5 Ways to Soothe Reflux

2/24/2018

Reflux is a backward flow of the contents of the stomach into the esophagus that causes heartburn. It's one of the most common conditions newborns face and is often caused by the esophageal sphincter valve not being fully developed. This causes milk to come back up the esophagus through the throat and causes baby to spit up and vomit. When the contents of the stomach come back up, it is usually mixed with some stomach acid, which creates a burning sensation.

Over the counter medicines may be prescribed by baby's pediatrician but it's important to remember that while they may help soothe the burning sensation, they do not "cure" reflux and are not always recommended for babies under 1 year of age.

Here are 5 Tips to Help Your Reflux Baby:
1. Keep baby elevated while feeding. Gravity helps hold contents in the belly, and reduces the amount of spit up. Do not place baby where he/she can easily slide down or be in a "scrunched up" position.. This puts pressure on the belly and force contents up.

2. Burp frequently during feeding.  This helps keep air out of the belly. Air bubbles can force milk back up the esophagus, causing pain and discomfort. After each ounce of feeding or even more often can be considered frequent.

3. Have smaller and more frequent feedings.  When baby is too full, it can put pressure on the sphincter valve forcing the baby to spit up. This can cause pain and also lead to choking.

4. Fill the bottle nipple with fluid.  If baby is bottle-fed, make sure the entire nipple on the bottle is filled with fluid to avoid swallowing excess air.

5. Try Coleif drops. Some babies have reflux not only due to immature sphincter valves, but because they have trouble digesting lactose in milk. This can lead to bloating, gas, discomfort, and a lot of crying. . Coleif is a natural lactase enzyme that helps to break down lactose in an infant’s breast milk or milk-based formula . (To find out more about Coleif, see www.coleif.com)

For more helpful tips on soothing  baby, visit Top 10 Ways to Calm Your Baby.